Head for use on preformed strand and wire rope machines



Ap 1942- F. B. DQWNING', SR

HEAD FOR USE ON PREFORMED STRAND AND WIRE ROPE MACHINES Filed March. 25, 1940 8 z 8 ll/ lkm FRANK B- DOW/Vl/VG, 5R

section; i

n Patented Apr. 21, 1942 i a A i Y 2,280,188 v n HEAD FOR USE ON PREFORMED" STRANDT y "AND WIRE ROPE MACHINES n g Frank B. Downing, sr., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Application March 25;, 194.1, Serial No. 325,913

a scams. (013759) This invention relates to an improved nozzle for making; preformed wirestrands and wire Another object of thisj invention is the preduction of: a 'sinipleand efiiicentnozzle or head for use in connection with a machine for making wire strands and wire rope, wherein the head or head for use in connectionfwith a machine by and securedin any desired manner to theme chine and the section. III is locked in, alpos'i tion upon' the collar I4 by meansot a stfsbriew l5. 1 Any suitableo'r desired means may be em ployedqfor attaching the section Ill of the head to the machine depending upon the nature of is providedwith irregularchannels throughout its length which are undercut to provide means for holding the wire strands in engagement with the longitudinal surface of the head.

' A further object of this invention is the productionrof a nozzle, the parts of which may be taken apart while the nozzle is mounted upon the machine withoutthe necessity of cutting or destroying camps or strandsfifi Other objects and advantages of they present i a "i invention will appear throughout the following I Figureffis aside elevational View of the head, the" outer "'sleevebeing shown in longitudinal Figure 2 is ofFigurel; I MN to U Figure 3 isa side elevational view of the head assembly, the outerportion of the head being a sectional view taken on line 2+2 l shown partly injlongitudinalsection;

GFigure 4 is a longitudinalisectiona1 view akin Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view takenon line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 656 of Figure 1'.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that H! designates the inner section of the head comprising a tubular member over which fits the outer section II of the head also constituting a tubular member. The outer section II of the head is preferably secured to the inner section the machineupon which the head is adapted to be mounted. i w The section H1 is provided upon its buteriace with a plurality of'serpentine grooves 16 which extendfrom the rear end toward the forwardend thereof. The grooves l6 are; undercut, as shown at IT, forthe purpose of permitting the wire strands l8 topassl longitudinally of theheadfarid to fit into* the groovesin alserpentine rnanner; these undercut grooves overhanging theTvv're strands, as shown inFigures l to 3', yinclus e,"

and also in Figures5 andG-for holding thew es firmly in engagement with the section III of the head throughout the length ofthdhead. PAflcen-j tral strand is extends longitudinally throughthe central bore I3, as shown in Figure Land this central bore [3, as Well as the channels or grooves IE will constitute anefficient means for guidingthe wire. strands IB and l9toward the forward end of the head where; the wires'inay be twisted in the usual mannerfas indicatedfat 20'inFigure1.f

The'outer section H of thejhead fits snugly over the inner section, lfland due to the' fact that the grooves |6"are provided with theun dercut portions I! the wires will remainffirrnly in position throughout the length of the section In while the outer section l l is being: mov to position. The outer section l I is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending'grooves 2| of similar construction to 'the grooves 15, grooves 2| having undercut portions 22 over hanging the wire strands 23 which extend longitudinally through the grooves 2|. The under cut portions 22 will also assist in holding the wires within the grooves against accidental displacement and will tend to prevent the wires from becoming crushed or pinched while mov- 4, and this bore I3 is adapted to communicate with a bore or channel formed in a machine upon which the head is adapted to be fitted. The section l0 may be secured in any suitable or desired manner to a collar H which may be carried ing longitudinally throughthe grooves while the cable is being formed. As an additional precaution I preferably provide an encasement sleeve 24 which fits over the outer tubular section II, as shown in Figure 1, and is anchored in position by means of a set screw 25. The wires which pass through the grooves}! are twisted about and around the wires l8 and the central core wire IS in the manner shown in Figure 1. I

By considering Figure 4 it will be noted that the space from: the collar I 4 to the sleeve His of suificient length to permit the sleeve to be moved toward the machine upon which the device is mounted to clear the serpentine grooves and free the wires. The sleeve 24 may be slipped forward and thus all of the wires or strands can be taken from the nozzle for welding where solid wire is used or splicing where twisted strands are used. The set screw I5 is counter sunk so as to provide a free-running nozzle to conform to the natural twist in the Wire or strand.

By means of the present device a nozzle has been produced by which reel back or wrapping in wire or strandsthat may have been destroyed, or injured or broken may be preformed. These strands or wires cannot under the typeof device previously known, be preformed. This preforming is made possible by means of the nozzle which I have produced.

It should be borne in mind that the present invention relates solely to the construction of the head and particularly the longitudinally extending serpentine channels or grooves l6 and the similarly constructed grooves 2| which are formed in the inner and outer sections I0 and I I of the head. These grooves I6 and 21 are undercutto provide overhanging portions for holding the wires l8 and 23 respectively within the grooves I6 and 2| respectively. It will therefore beseen that one series of wires I8 is carried by the inner tubular section 10 and a second series of wires 23 is carried by the outer section I I, and it should be understood that any number of these sections or tubular members may be employed if desired, for the purpose of winding as many strands as may-be desired within the cable. It should be further understood that any suitable or desired number of grooves or channels may be employed to accommodate the desired number of strands which may be necessary to produce a cable, rope, or suitable unit to be produced by the wire strands.

.It will be noted that the grooves IS on thesection l0 and the grooves 2| on the section II are preferably arranged to extend longitudinally in substantially spaced relation and in serpentine formation through the length of the sections.

It will be obvious that I have provideda very simple device in the nature of a preforming head eliminating elaborate parts, and at the same time providing a head which definitely preforms or sets the wires prior to twisting, this being a very important feature in properly forming a wire cable and the like. Certain detail changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as such changesfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what I claim as new is:

1. A head of the class described comprising an elongated body provided with serpentine grooves formed upon the outer face thereof for receiving wire strands and preforming the strands and guiding these strands throughout the length of the body, said body provided with a central bore for receiving a central strand, a sleeve mounted upon said body and provided with longitudinally extending serpentine grooves for receiving other strands and preforming said other strands, all of the strands being adapted to be twisted together for the purpose of producing a cable.

2. A head of the class described comprising an elongated tubular body having serpentine grooves formed upon the outer face thereof and adapted to receive wire strands to be twisted together for preforming the strands, a sleeve mounted upon said tubular body and provided with serpentine grooves formed upon the outer face thereof for receiving other strands and preforming said other strands, all of the strands being adapted to be twisted together, and means for securing said head to a wire twisting machine.

3. A preforming head of the class described comprising a body having a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending serpentine grooves, said grooves beingundercut to provide overhanging edges for the purpose of retaining wire strands passing through the length of said grooves and preventing the accidental displacement of said strands, and said serpentine grooves constituting a preforming means for setting and shaping the wires passing therethrough.

4. A preforming head of the class described comprising a body having a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending serpentine grooves, said grooves being undercut to provide overhanging edges for the purpose of retaining wire strands passing through the length of said grooves and preventing the accidental displacement ofsaid strands, said serpentine grooves constituting a preforming means for setting and shaping the Wires passing therethrough, and-said body having a centrally located bore adapted to receive a core Wire about which said preformed wires may be twisted.

5. A preforming head of the class described comprising a plurality of tubular sections, each section having longitudinally extending serpentine substantially parallel grooves formed on the outer face thereof, an outer section fitting snugly over an inner section, and a retaining sleeve fitting over the outer section.

FRANK. B. DOWNING, SR. 

